What is simpledms?

SimpleDMS is an open-source document management system designed for small businesses and families. It uses a metadata-driven approach with tags, document types, and workspaces (spaces) to organize documents efficiently. The system includes intelligent metadata suggestions, duplicate detection, full-text search with OCR via Apache Tika, document versioning, notes on documents, PDF previews via Gotenberg, and WebDAV upload for scanners and MFPs. It can be installed as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on mobile and desktop, supports dark mode and passkey authentication. Self-hosting uses Docker Compose with SQLite database, requiring S3-compatible storage (or the Versity Gateway for local file storage), Apache Tika for OCR, and optionally Gotenberg for PDF previews. The core application is AGPL-3.0 licensed with additional attribution terms; a paid LTS version, alternative non-copyleft license, and multi-tenant control plane are offered commercially.

simpledms alternatives

Should you self-host simpledms?

simpledms scores 45/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #34 of 46 in Document Management. It has 170 GitHub stars.

It shipped 16 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v1.18.0, came out on 1 October 2026. New versions land roughly every 9 days.

Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. An official Docker image is available. It is AGPL-3.0-licensed and written mostly in Go.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Stirling-PDF (87/100, 95 371 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See simpledms vs Stirling-PDF side by side.

Features

Metadata-driven document organization

SimpleDMS – Document Management for Small Businesses

SimpleDMS is an easy-to-use open source document management system (DMS) for small businesses that sorts documents almost by itself.

Simple and efficient

The metadata-driven concept of SimpleDMS enables efficient filing and fast retrieval of documents after a short familiarization period.

The core of the concept consists of:

a well thought-out tag system for categorizing documents, and
workspaces (spaces) for shared or private access to documents.

FAQ

Can SimpleDMS be self-hosted?

Yes, SimpleDMS is open source software and can be self-hosted for free. The technical documentation describes the setup.

How much does additional storage cost?

Additional storage costs 0.50 € per gigabyte and month, including backups and data traffic. A cost limit in the settings prevents surprises.

How long is the contract duration?

The contract duration is one month. Termination is possible until the last day of the contract, effective at its end. Without termination, the contract is automatically extended by one month.

Where is the SimpleDMS cloud hosted?

The SimpleDMS cloud runs on servers of a German hosting provider in data centers in Germany (EU), powered by renewable energy. Hosting in Switzerland is available on request.